JP5556537B2 - Automatic bread machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic bread maker mainly used in general households.

  A commercially available automatic bread maker for home use generally has a mechanism for manufacturing bread by directly using a container for storing bread ingredients as a baking mold (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such an automatic bread maker, first, a bread container containing bread ingredients is placed in a baking chamber in the main body. And the bread raw material in a bread container is kneaded into bread dough with the kneading blade provided in a bread container (kneading process). Thereafter, a fermentation process for fermenting the kneaded bread dough is performed, and the bread container is used as a baking mold to bake the bread (baking process).

  When bread is manufactured using such an automatic bread maker, so far, flour (wheat flour, rice flour, etc.) or flour such as wheat or rice is used as the raw material for bread. It was necessary to have a mixed powder in which various auxiliary materials were mixed. However, in general households, as represented by rice grains, grains are sometimes held in the form of grains instead of in the form of flour. For this reason, it would be very convenient if the automatic bread maker had a mechanism for producing bread directly from grains. With this in mind, the present applicants have developed a bread production method for producing bread using cereal grains as a starting material (see Patent Document 2).

  In this bread manufacturing method, first, cereal grains and a liquid are mixed, and a pulverizing blade is rotated in the mixture to pulverize the cereal grains (grinding step). And the bread raw material containing the paste-form ground powder obtained through the grinding process is kneaded into bread dough using a kneading blade (kneading process). Thereafter, a fermentation process for fermenting the kneaded bread dough is performed, followed by a baking process for baking the bread.

JP 2000-116526 A JP 2010-35476 A

  The present applicants are working on the development of an automatic bread maker having a new mechanism capable of executing the above-described method for producing bread using the grain as a starting material. As a configuration of the automatic bread maker provided with this new mechanism, for example, a bread container is accommodated in a baking chamber provided in the main body, and the baking process is executed from the above-described crushing process in this bread container. It is considered.

  When adopting such a configuration, for example, if it is necessary to replace the blade (replacement between the pulverization blade and the kneading blade) when moving from the pulverization step to the kneading step, the user can easily use the automatic bread maker. There is a possibility of feeling bad. For this purpose, the present applicants are considering adopting a configuration in which, for example, one blade unit capable of selectively using a grinding blade and a kneading blade is detachably attached to the inside of the bread container.

  In this configuration, for example, the blade unit is attached to the bread container by covering the rotating shaft provided at the bottom of the bread container with the attachment portion (the insertion hole is provided). Moreover, the rotating shaft provided in the bottom part of a bread container can be rotated by the motor provided in a main body.

  However, when a configuration in which a pulverizing blade and a kneading blade are provided and a blade can be selectively used is employed, the configuration of the blade unit must be somewhat complicated. The blade unit is usually removed from the bread container and washed after the bread has been baked. When the configuration of the blade unit becomes complicated, it becomes difficult to clean the blade unit. If it is difficult to clean the blade unit, uncleaned stains (for example, baking of bread dough) may occur. In addition, if it is difficult to clean the blade unit, the user needs time to clean the blade unit, so that there is a possibility that the user may have an impression that the automatic bread maker is not easy to use.

  In the above, the problem in the case where the blade portion (used as a concept including the above-described blade unit) includes a kneading blade and a grinding blade has been described. However, even in an automatic bread maker that does not have a pulverizing blade in the blade part (one that can produce bread only from cereal flour such as wheat flour and rice flour), it is difficult for the user to easily leave dirt on the blade part. It is thought that this is desired.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic bread maker that can easily remove dirt on a blade portion including a kneading blade. Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic bread maker that has a convenient mechanism for baking bread from cereal grains and that can easily remove dirt from a blade portion including a grinding blade and a kneading blade.

In order to achieve the above object, the automatic bread maker of the present invention is used to brew bread dough in the bread container and the bread container accommodated in the baking chamber provided in the main body while the bread ingredients are charged. A blade unit including the kneading blade to be performed, an input unit for inputting a cleaning command for cleaning the blade unit, and a control for executing a cleaning operation for cleaning the blade unit based on the cleaning command from the input unit A rotating shaft is provided at the bottom of the bread container, the blade portion is detachably attached to the rotating shaft, and the cleaning operation includes an operation of rotating the rotating shaft, In the blade part, a grinding blade used for grinding grain grains in the bread container, a cover that covers the grinding blade and has the kneading blade on the outer surface, Further included, the the cleaning operation, the kneading blade and while stopping the rotation of the cover, Ru includes operation for rotating the grinding blade together with the rotary shaft.

  Note that the blade portion may be integrally attached to and detached from the rotating shaft (one unit), or may be divided into a plurality of portions while being removed from the rotating shaft.

  In this configuration, the blade portion can be cleaned by the automatic bread maker. For this reason, the user can leave the dirt of the blade part easily by leaving it to the machine. That is, according to this configuration, the burden on the user when cleaning the blade portion is reduced.

According to this configuration, it is possible to provide an automatic bread maker that has a convenient mechanism for baking bread from cereal grains and that can easily remove dirt on a blade portion including a blade including a grinding blade and a kneading blade.

  As a specific configuration of the automatic bread maker configured as described above, the blade portion is provided with an insertion hole into which the rotation shaft is inserted, and is attached to the rotation shaft so as not to rotate, and the rotation shaft. A clutch for switching a connection state with the cover, the crushing blade is non-rotatably attached to the attachment portion, the cover is rotatably attached to the attachment portion, and the kneading blade is It is rotatably attached to the cover, and can take two postures: a folding posture, which is a posture when kneading bread dough, and an open posture, which is a posture that abuts against the inner wall of the bread container. When the shaft rotates in one direction, the kneading blade is in the folded position, the clutch connects the rotating shaft and the cover, and the cover and the mixing The blade rotates together with the rotating shaft, and when the rotating shaft rotates in the direction opposite to the one direction, the kneading blade turns to the opening posture, and the clutch disconnects the connection between the rotating shaft and the cover, The cover and the kneading blade may be in a rotation stopped state, and the rotation direction of the rotation shaft when performing the cleaning operation may be the reverse direction. According to this configuration, it is possible to perform the cleaning operation of the blade portion by using the same operation as in the case of pulverizing the grain using the pulverization blade in the pulverization step.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, the blade portion may further include a guard that covers a lower surface of the cover and prevents a finger from approaching the crushing blade. In the configuration in which the guard is attached to the cover, the work load increases when the blade portion is manually cleaned. However, in this configuration, since the blade portion is mechanically cleaned, such a work load is unlikely to occur.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, when the rotary shaft is rotated in the cleaning operation, it is preferable that the rotational speed of the rotary shaft be low in the initial stage and then high. According to this configuration, it is possible to reduce the scattering of liquid (for example, water and detergent) that is put into the bread container for washing due to the movement of the kneading blade.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, in the cleaning operation, a rotation period in which the rotation shaft is rotated for a predetermined period and a pause period in which the rotation shaft is stopped for a predetermined period may be alternately performed. By interposing the rest period, it is possible to soften the dirt adhering to the blade portion with the liquid put in the bread container. For this reason, according to this configuration, it is easy to clean the blade portion.

  The automatic bread maker configured as described above further includes a lid that opens and closes the baking chamber, and a lid open / close detection unit that detects an open / closed state of the lid, and the lid open / close detection unit opens the lid. It is preferable that the controller does not execute the cleaning operation when it is detected that the cleaning operation is performed. According to this configuration, the possibility that the user may be injured by the cleaning operation of the blade portion (for example, accompanied by the rotation of the rotating shaft) can be reduced.

  In the automatic bread maker configured as described above, the control unit may cause the cleaning operation to be executed after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed after receiving a cleaning command from the input unit. According to this configuration, since the cleaning operation is started after the dirt adhering to the blade portion is softened with the liquid placed in the bread container, the cleaning effect by the cleaning operation is easily exhibited.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic bread maker that can easily remove dirt from a blade portion including a kneading blade. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic bread maker that has a convenient mechanism for baking bread from cereal grains and that can easily remove dirt on a blade part including a grinding blade and a kneading blade. For this reason, according to the present invention, it is expected that home bread making will become popular by making home bread production more familiar.

The schematic perspective view which shows the external appearance structure of the automatic bread maker of this embodiment The schematic diagram for demonstrating the structure inside the main body of the automatic bread maker of this embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the clutch contained in the 1st power transmission part with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is provided. The figure which shows typically the structure of the baking chamber in which the bread container was accommodated, and its periphery in the automatic bread maker of this embodiment. The schematic perspective view which shows the structure of the blade unit with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is provided. Schematic exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a blade unit provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment The schematic side view and schematic sectional drawing which show the structure of the blade unit with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is provided. Schematic plan view when the blade unit provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment is viewed from below (a diagram when the guard is removed) It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the blade unit with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is provided, and a figure at the time of seeing a bread container from the top The block diagram which shows the structure of the automatic bread maker of this embodiment The schematic diagram which shows the flow of the bread-making course for rice grains performed with the automatic bread maker of this embodiment The flowchart which shows operation | movement of the automatic bread maker when the washing | cleaning key with which the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is equipped is pressed.

Hereinafter, embodiments of an automatic bread maker of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the specific time, temperature, etc. which appear in this specification are illustrations to the last, and they do not limit the content of this invention.
(Configuration of automatic bread maker)
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an external configuration of the automatic bread maker according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, an operation unit 20 is provided on a part of the upper surface of a main body 10 (the outer shell of which is formed of, for example, metal or synthetic resin) of an automatic bread maker 1 provided in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. It has been. The operation unit 20 includes an operation key group and a display unit that displays time, contents set by the operation key group, errors, and the like. The operation key group includes, for example, a start key, a cancel key, a timer key, a reservation key, a bread manufacturing course (a course for manufacturing bread using rice grains as a starting material, a course for manufacturing bread using rice flour as a starting material) And a selection key for selecting a course for producing bread using flour as a starting material. The display unit is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display panel.

  In the present embodiment, the cleaning key 21 is included in the operation key group of the operation unit 20. This washing key 21 is an example of the input unit of the present invention. The cleaning key 21 is provided so that the user can input a cleaning command for cleaning a blade unit (an example of the blade unit of the present invention) described later after baking is completed. The operation of the automatic bread maker 1 when the washing key 21 is pressed will be described later.

  Inside the main body 10 is provided a baking chamber 30 in which a bread container 80, which will be described in detail later, is accommodated. The firing chamber 30 is composed of, for example, a bottom wall 30a made of sheet metal and four side walls 30b (see also FIG. 4 described later). The baking chamber 30 has a substantially rectangular box shape in plan view, and its upper surface is open. The firing chamber 30 can be opened and closed by a lid 40 provided on the upper part of the main body 10. The lid 40 is attached to the back side of the main body 10 with a hinge shaft (not shown), and the firing chamber 30 can be opened and closed by rotating about the hinge shaft as a fulcrum. FIG. 1 shows a state where the lid 40 is opened.

  The lid 40 is provided with a viewing window 41 made of, for example, heat-resistant glass so that the inside of the baking chamber 30 can be seen. A bread ingredient storage container 42 is attached to the lid 40. This bread ingredient storage container 42 makes it possible to automatically feed some bread ingredients during the bread production process. The bread raw material storage container 42 includes a box-shaped container body 42a having a substantially rectangular plane shape, and a container lid 42b that is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the container body 42a and opens and closes the opening of the container body 42a. . Further, the bread ingredient storage container 42 can support the container lid 42b from the outer surface (lower surface) side and maintain the closed state of the opening of the container body 42a, and is moved by an external force to move the container lid 42b to the container lid 42b. There is also provided a movable hook 42c for releasing the engagement.

  An automatic closing solenoid 16 (see FIG. 10 described later) is provided in the main body 10 on the lower side of the operation unit 20, and when this solenoid is driven, its plunger is provided on the main body wall surface 10 a adjacent to the lid 40. It protrudes from the opening 10b. Then, the movable hook 42c is moved by a movable member (not shown) movable by the protruding plunger, the engagement between the container lid 42b and the movable hook 42c is released, the container lid 42b is rotated, and the container main body 42a. The opening of is opened. Note that FIG. 1 shows a state where the opening of the container main body 42a is opened.

  The container main body 42a and the container lid 42b are preferably provided with a metal such as aluminum so that a powder bread raw material (for example, gluten, dry yeast, etc.) stored in the container does not remain in the container. And it is preferable that those inner surfaces are covered with a coating layer of silicon, fluorine, or the like, and further, unevenness is not provided as much as possible and it is preferably formed smoothly.

  Further, if steam generated when pulverizing grains such as rice grains enters the container main body 42a, the bread material tends to adhere to the inner surface of the container, which is not preferable. For this purpose, a flange (flange) is provided at the opening side edge of the container main body 42a so that the aforementioned steam or the like does not enter the container, and a packing is provided between the flange and the container lid 42b. (Seal member) 42d is interposed.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the internal configuration of the main body of the automatic bread maker according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 assumes a case where the automatic bread maker 1 is viewed from above, and the lower side of the figure is the front side of the automatic bread maker 1 and the upper side of the figure is the back side. As shown in FIG. 2, in the automatic bread maker 1, a low-speed / high-torque type kneading motor 50 used in the kneading process is fixedly arranged on the right side of the baking chamber 30, and mainly on the rear side of the baking chamber 30. A high-speed rotation type crushing motor 60 used in the crushing process is fixedly arranged. The kneading motor 50 and the crushing motor 60 are both shafts.

  A first pulley 52 is fixed to an output shaft 51 protruding from the upper surface of the kneading motor 50. The first pulley 52 is connected by a first belt 53 to a second pulley 55 having a diameter larger than that of the first pulley 52 and fixed to the upper side of the first rotating shaft 54. Has been. A second rotating shaft 57 is provided on the lower side of the first rotating shaft 54 so that the center of rotation is substantially the same as the first rotating shaft 54 (see FIG. 3 described later). The first rotating shaft 54 and the second rotating shaft 57 are rotatably supported inside the main body 10. Further, a clutch 56 that performs power transmission and power interruption is provided between the first rotating shaft 54 and the second rotating shaft 57 (see FIG. 3 described later). The configuration of the clutch 56 will be described later.

  A third pulley 58 is fixed to the lower side of the second rotating shaft 57 (see FIG. 3 described later). The third pulley 58 is provided on the lower side of the firing chamber 30 by the second belt 59 and is fixed to the driving shaft 11 and has a first driving shaft pulley 12 (having substantially the same diameter as the third pulley 58). (See FIG. 3 described later). The kneading motor 50 itself is a low speed / high torque type, and the rotation of the first pulley 52 is decelerated and rotated by the second pulley 55 (for example, decelerated to 1/5 speed). For this reason, when the kneading motor 50 is driven in a state where the clutch 56 transmits power, the driving shaft 11 rotates at a low speed.

  The first pulley 52, the first belt 53, the first rotating shaft 54, the second pulley 55, the clutch 56, the second rotating shaft 57, the third pulley 58, the second belt 59, and Hereinafter, the power transmission unit including the first driving shaft pulley 12 may be referred to as a first power transmission unit.

  A fourth pulley 62 is fixed to the output shaft 61 protruding from the lower surface of the grinding motor 60. The fourth pulley 62 is fixed by a third belt 63 below the second driving shaft pulley 13 (below the first driving shaft pulley 12) fixed to the driving shaft 11; 3). The second driving shaft pulley 13 has substantially the same diameter as the fourth pulley 62. As the crushing motor 60, a high-speed rotating one is selected, and the rotation of the fourth pulley 62 is maintained at substantially the same speed in the second driving shaft pulley 13. Therefore, when the crushing motor 60 is driven, the driving shaft 11 is driven. Performs high-speed rotation (for example, 7000 to 8000 rpm).

  In addition, the power transmission unit configured by the fourth pulley 62, the third belt 63, and the second driving shaft pulley 13 may be expressed as a second power transmission unit in the following. The second power transmission unit is configured not to have a clutch, and connects the output shaft 61 of the crushing motor 60 and the driving shaft 11 so that power can be transmitted at all times.

  FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a clutch included in the first power transmission unit provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram assuming the case of viewing along the direction of arrow X in FIG. 3A shows a state in which the clutch 56 performs power cut-off, and FIG. 3B shows a state in which the clutch 56 performs power transmission.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the clutch 56 includes a first clutch member 561 and a second clutch member 562. When the claw 561a provided on the first clutch member 561 and the claw 562a provided on the second clutch member 562 are engaged with each other (the state shown in FIG. 3B), the clutch 56 transmits power. Further, when the two claws 561a and 562b are not engaged with each other (the state shown in FIG. 3A), the clutch 56 cuts off the power. That is, the clutch 56 is a meshing clutch.

  In the present embodiment, each of the two clutch members 561 and 562 has a circumferential direction (when the first clutch member 561 is seen in plan view from below, or the second clutch member 562 is seen in plan view from above. Assuming the case), six claws 561a and 562a arranged at almost equal intervals are provided, but the number of the claws may be appropriately changed. Moreover, what is necessary is just to select a preferable shape suitably for the shape of nail | claw 561a and 562a.

  The first clutch member 561 is attached to the first rotating shaft 54 so as to be slidable in the axial direction (vertical direction in FIG. 3) and not to be relatively rotatable, after taking measures against slipping off. Yes. A spring 71 is loosely fitted on the upper side of the first clutch member 561 of the first rotating shaft 54. The spring 71 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between a stopper portion 54a provided on the first rotating shaft 54 and the first clutch member 561, and biases the first clutch member 561 downward. ing. On the other hand, the second clutch member 562 is fixed to the upper end of the second rotating shaft 57.

  Switching of the clutch 56 (switching between the power transmission state and the power cut-off state) is performed by a self-holding solenoid (clutch solenoid) incorporating an arm portion 72 that supports the first clutch member 561 and a permanent magnet 73a. 73. The plunger 73 b of the solenoid 73 is in a state where its tip end portion (the lower side corresponds to FIG. 3) is fixed to an attachment portion 72 a provided on the arm portion 72. Since the arm portion 72 (including the attachment portion 72a) is made of metal, it can be attracted to the permanent magnet 73a.

  When a voltage is applied to the solenoid 73 so as to cancel the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 73a from the state of FIG. 3A, the force that attracts the arm portion 72 (more precisely, the mounting portion 72a) of the permanent magnet 73a decreases. The first clutch member 561 is pushed down by the biasing force of the spring 71. As a result, meshing between the claw 561a of the first clutch member 561 and the claw 562a of the second clutch member 562 is obtained, and the clutch 56 transmits power (the state shown in FIG. 3B). ). Since this engagement is maintained by the urging force of the spring 71, the solenoid 73 is turned off after driving to pull down the first clutch member 561. Further, in the state in which this engagement is obtained, the arm portion 72 is pulled down, so that the plunger 73b of the solenoid 73 is in a state in which the amount of protrusion from the housing 73c (the amount of protrusion downward) is increased.

  On the other hand, when a voltage for pulling up the plunger 73b (voltage having a polarity opposite to that when canceling the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 73a) is applied to the solenoid 73 from the state of FIG. On the other hand, the first clutch member 561 is pulled upward together with the arm portion 72. As a result, the engagement between the claw 561a of the first clutch member 561 and the claw 562a of the second clutch member 562 is released, and the clutch 56 performs power shut-off (a state shown in FIG. 3A). ). In the state where the meshing is released, the permanent magnet 73a built in the solenoid 73 attracts the arm portion 72 (more precisely, the mounting portion 72a). For this reason, after the drive for pulling up the first clutch member 561 is performed, the disengagement state can be maintained even if the solenoid 73 is turned off, so that the solenoid 73 is turned off.

  When the grinding motor 60 is driven, if the clutch 56 is in a state where power is transmitted (the state shown in FIG. 3B), rotational power for rotating the driving shaft 11 at high speed is transmitted to the output shaft 51 of the kneading motor 50. The In this case, if the crushing motor 60 is rotated at, for example, 8000 rpm, the output shaft 51 of the kneading motor 50 is rotated at 40000 rpm depending on the radius ratio (for example, 1: 5) between the first pulley 52 and the second pulley 55. I will try to let you. In this case, since a very large load is applied to the pulverization motor 60, the pulverization motor 60 may be damaged. For this reason, when driving the grinding motor 60, it is necessary to prevent the rotational power for rotating the driving shaft 11 at high speed from being transmitted to the output shaft 51 of the kneading motor 50. The first power transmission unit includes a clutch 56 that cuts off the power.

  As described above, the automatic bread maker 1 is configured such that the second power transmission unit is not provided with a clutch, for the following reason. That is, even if the kneading motor 50 is driven, the driving shaft 11 is only rotated at a low speed (for example, 180 rpm). Even if the rotational power for rotating the driving shaft 11 is transmitted to the output shaft of the crushing motor 60, the kneading motor A large load is not applied to 50. And the manufacturing cost of an automatic bread maker is suppressed by employ | adopting the structure in which a clutch is not provided in a 2nd power transmission part in this way. However, it goes without saying that a configuration in which a clutch is provided in the second power transmission unit may be adopted.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the baking chamber in which the bread container is accommodated and its surroundings in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 assumes a configuration when the automatic bread maker 1 is viewed from the front side, and the configurations of the baking chamber 30 and the bread container 80 are generally shown in cross-sectional views. In addition, the bread container 80 used as a baking mold while the bread raw material is input can be taken in and out of the baking chamber 30.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a sheathed heater 31 (an example of a heating unit) is disposed inside the baking chamber 30 so as to surround a bread container 80 accommodated in the baking chamber 30. By using this sheathed heater 31, it is possible to heat the bread ingredients in the bread container 80 (this expression may include bread dough).

  In addition, a bread container support portion 14 (for example, made of an aluminum alloy die-cast molded product) that supports the bread container 80 is fixed to a location corresponding to the approximate center of the bottom wall 30a of the baking chamber 30. The bread container support portion 14 is formed so as to be recessed from the bottom wall 30a of the baking chamber 30, and the shape of the recess is substantially circular when viewed from above. At the center of the bread container support portion 14, the above-described driving shaft 11 is supported so as to be substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall 30a.

  The bread container 80 is, for example, an aluminum alloy die-cast molded product (others may be made of sheet metal or the like), has a bucket-like shape, and is handed to the flange 80a provided on the side edge of the opening. A handle (not shown) is attached. The horizontal cross section of the bread container 80 is a rectangle with rounded corners. Further, a concave portion 81 having a substantially circular shape in a plan view is formed on the bottom of the bread container 80 so as to accommodate a part of a blade unit 90 which will be described in detail later.

  At the center of the bottom of the bread container 80, a blade rotation shaft 82 (an example of the rotation shaft of the present invention) extending in the vertical direction is rotatably supported in a state where measures against sealing are taken. A container side coupling member 82a is fixed to the lower end of the blade rotation shaft 82 (projecting outward from the bottom of the bread container 80). In addition, a cylindrical pedestal 83 is provided on the bottom outer surface side of the bread container 80, and the bread container 80 is accommodated in the baking chamber 30 in a state where the pedestal 83 is received by the bread container support part 14. It has become so. The pedestal 83 may be formed separately from the bread container 80 or may be formed integrally with the bread container 80.

  When the pedestal 83 of the bread container 80 is received in the baking chamber 30 in a state of being received by the bread container support portion 14, the container-side coupling member 82 a provided at the lower end of the blade rotation shaft 82 and the driving shaft 11. The coupling (coupling) with the driving shaft side coupling member 11a fixed to the upper end of the shaft can be obtained. As a result, the blade rotation shaft 82 can transmit the rotational power from the driving shaft 11.

  A blade unit 90 (an example of the blade portion of the present invention) is detachably attached to a portion of the blade rotation shaft 82 that protrudes into the bread container 80 from above. The configuration of the blade unit 90 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the blade unit provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a blade unit provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a blade unit included in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment, FIG. 7 (a) is a schematic side view, and FIG. 7 (b) is the AA position in FIG. 7 (a). It is sectional drawing. FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the blade unit included in the automatic bread maker according to the present embodiment when viewed from below. FIG. 8A is a diagram when the kneading blade is in a folded position, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a view when the kneading blade is in an open posture. FIG. 8 shows a state in which a guard to be described later is removed. FIG. 9 is a view for explaining the operation of the blade unit provided in the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment, and is a view when the bread container is viewed from above. FIG. 9A is a view when the kneading blade is in the folded position, and FIG. 9B is a view when the kneading blade is in the open position.

  The blade unit 90 is roughly divided into a unit shaft 91 (an example of the mounting portion of the present invention), a crushing blade 92 that is attached to the unit shaft 91 so as not to rotate relative to the unit shaft 91, and a blade that can rotate relative to the unit shaft 91 and crushing blade. The dome-shaped cover 93 (an example of the cover of the present invention) mounted in a plan view so as to cover the surface 92 and a kneading blade 101 attached to the dome-shaped cover 93 so as to be relatively rotatable (see FIG. For example, see FIGS. In a state where the blade unit 90 is attached to the blade rotation shaft 82, the crushing blade 92 is positioned slightly above the bottom surface of the recess 81 of the bread container 80. Further, almost the entire grinding blade 92 and the dome-shaped cover 93 are accommodated in the recess 81.

  The unit shaft 91 is a substantially columnar member formed of a metal such as a stainless steel plate, for example, and has an opening at one end (the lower end in FIGS. 6 and 7), and the inside is hollow. That is, the insertion shaft 91c is formed in the unit shaft 91 (see FIG. 7B). In addition, a pair of notches 91a are formed on the lower side (opening side) of the side wall of the unit shaft 91 so as to be symmetrically arranged with respect to the rotation center of the unit shaft 91 (see, for example, FIG. 6). 6 shows only one of them). When the unit shaft 91 is put on the blade rotation shaft 82 (when the blade rotation shaft 82 is inserted into the insertion hole 91c), a pin (not shown) penetrating the blade rotation shaft 82 horizontally is formed in the notch 91a. The unit shaft 91 is engaged with the blade rotation shaft 82 so as not to be relatively rotatable.

  As shown in FIG. 7B, the upper portion of the unit shaft 91 is engaged with a convex portion 82b provided at the central portion of the upper surface (substantially circular) of the blade rotation shaft 82 (shown by a broken line). A concave portion 91b is formed in the central portion of the side inner surface. Accordingly, the blade unit 90 can be easily attached to the blade rotation shaft 82 in a state where the centers of the unit shaft 91 and the blade rotation shaft 82 are aligned. For this reason, unnecessary rattling during rotation of the blade is suppressed. In the present embodiment, the convex portion 82b is provided on the blade rotating shaft 82 side and the concave portion 91b is provided on the unit shaft 91 side, but conversely, the concave portion is provided on the blade rotating shaft 82 side and the unit shaft 91 side is provided. A configuration in which a convex portion is provided may be employed.

  The pulverizing blade 92 for pulverizing grains is formed of, for example, a stainless steel plate, and the shape thereof is, for example, an airplane propeller. As shown in FIG. 6, an opening 92 a having a substantially rectangular shape in plan view is formed at the center of the grinding blade 92. The crushing blade 92 is attached from the lower side of the unit shaft 91 so that the unit shaft 91 is fitted into the opening 92a.

  The lower side of the unit shaft 91 has a shape that is obtained by scraping the side surface of a cylinder, and is substantially the same shape (substantially rectangular shape) as the opening 92a of the grinding blade 92 when viewed from below. Further, the area when the lower side of the unit shaft 91 is viewed from below is slightly smaller than the opening 92a. Since such a shape is adopted, the grinding blade 92 is attached to the unit shaft 91 so as not to be relatively rotatable. Since the stopper member 94 for preventing the retaining member 94 is fitted into the unit shaft 91 on the lower side of the pulverizing blade 92, the pulverizing blade 92 does not fall off the unit shaft 91.

  The dome-shaped cover 93 disposed so as to surround and cover the crushing blade 92 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy die-cast product, and a bearing 95 (in this embodiment, a rolling bearing is used on the inner surface side thereof. ) (See FIG. 7B) is formed. In other words, in order to form the accommodating portion 931, the dome-shaped cover 93 has a configuration in which a substantially cylindrical convex portion 93a is formed at the center when viewed from the outer surface. In addition, the opening is not formed in the convex part 93a, and the bearing 95 accommodated in the accommodating part 931 is in the state in which the side surface and the upper surface are enclosed by the wall surface of the accommodating part 931.

  The inner ring 95a is attached to the unit shaft 91 so as not to rotate relative to the bearing 95 with the retaining rings 96a and 96b arranged on the upper and lower sides (the unit shaft 91 is press-fitted into a through hole inside the inner ring 95a. ing). The bearing 95 is press-fitted into the housing portion 931 so that the outer wall of the outer ring 95b is fixed to the side wall of the housing portion 931. The dome-shaped cover 93 is attached to the unit shaft 91 so as to be rotatable relative to the bearing 95 (the inner ring 95a rotates relative to the outer ring 95b).

  In addition, the housing portion 931 of the dome-shaped cover 93 is made of, for example, a silicon-based material so that foreign matter (for example, liquid used when pulverizing grain grains or paste-like material obtained by pulverization) does not enter the bearing 95 from the outside. Alternatively, a seal material 97 formed of a fluorine-based material and a metal seal cover 98 that holds the seal material 97 are press-fitted from the lower side of the bearing 95. The seal cover 98 is fixed to the dome-shaped cover 93 with a rivet 99 so that the fixing to the dome-shaped cover 93 is ensured. Although fixing with the rivet 99 may not be performed, it is preferable to configure as in the present embodiment in order to obtain reliable fixing. The sealing material 97 and the sealing cover 98 function as sealing means.

  On the outer surface of the dome-shaped cover 93, a kneading blade 101 (for example, aluminum) in a planar shape is formed by a support shaft 100 (see FIG. 6) disposed so as to extend in a vertical direction at a location adjacent to the convex portion 93 a. (Made of die-cast alloy product) is attached. The kneading blade 101 is attached to the support shaft 100 so as not to be relatively rotatable, and moves together with the support shaft 100 attached to the dome-shaped cover 93 so as to be relatively rotatable. In other words, the kneading blade 101 is attached to the dome-shaped cover 93 so as to be relatively rotatable.

  On one surface near the tip of the kneading blade 101 (assuming a portion that draws the largest circle when the kneading blade 101 is rotated about the support shaft 100), a cushioning material 107 as shown in FIGS. It is attached. The buffer material 107 is provided so as to slightly protrude from the tip of the kneading blade 101 (see, for example, FIG. 8B). In this embodiment, it is provided so as to protrude about 3 mm.

  The buffer material 107 is fixed in a state where the buffer material 107 is sandwiched between one surface of the kneading blade 101 and the fixing plate 108 and obtained by caulking the rivet 109 inserted from the other surface side of the kneading blade 101. ing. In the present embodiment, the number of rivets 109 is two, but it goes without saying that the number is not limited.

  The cushioning material 107 is disposed so as not to come into direct contact with the bread container 80 (inner wall thereof) when the kneading blade 101 is in the open posture described in detail later. When the kneading blade 101 and the bread container 80 are in direct contact with each other, damage may occur due to interference between them, and the buffer material 107 is provided to prevent such damage.

  In the automatic bread maker 1 of this embodiment, the surface of the bread container 80 and the kneading blade 101 is coated with fluorine. For this reason, it can be said that the buffer material 107 of the present embodiment is provided so that the fluorine coating is not peeled off by contact between the kneading blade 101 and the pan container 80. From this point, the material constituting the cushioning material 107 is preferably a material softer than the coating material so as not to peel off the fluorine coating. For example, silicone rubber or TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomers) is used. . The buffer material 107 also functions as a soundproofing measure, which will be described later. In the following description, the buffer material 107 may be regarded as a part of the kneading blade 101.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a complementary kneading blade 102 (for example, made of an aluminum alloy die cast product) is fixedly disposed on the outer surface of the dome-shaped cover 93 so as to be aligned with the kneading blade 101. The complementary kneading blade 102 is not necessarily provided, but is preferably provided in order to increase the kneading efficiency in the kneading process of kneading the bread dough.

  Here, the operation of the kneading blade 101 will be described. The kneading blade 101 rotates about the axis of the support shaft 100 together with the support shaft 100, and the folding posture shown in FIGS. 5, 7, 8A and 9A, and FIGS. Two postures are taken, the open posture shown in (b). In the folded position, the protrusion 101a (see FIG. 6) hanging from the lower edge of the kneading blade 101 comes into contact with the first stopper portion 93b provided on the upper surface (outer surface) of the dome-shaped cover 93. For this reason, the kneading blade 101 cannot further rotate counterclockwise (assuming the case viewed from above) with respect to the dome-shaped cover 93. In this folded position, the tip of the kneading blade 101 protrudes slightly from the dome-shaped cover 93.

  When the kneading blade 101 is rotated clockwise (assumed when viewed from above) with respect to the dome-shaped cover 93 from this posture (the state shown in FIG. 9A), the open posture shown in FIG. 9B is obtained. The tip of the kneading blade 101 protrudes greatly from the dome-shaped cover 93. The opening angle of the kneading blade 101 in this opening posture is limited by the second stopper portion 93 c (see FIG. 8) provided on the inner surface of the dome-shaped cover 93. When the second engagement body 103b (fixed to the support shaft 100), which will be described in detail later, is unable to rotate by hitting the second stopper portion 93c provided on the inner surface of the dome-shaped cover 93, the kneading blade 101 is at its maximum. The opening angle.

  When the kneading blade 101 is in the folded position, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the complementary kneading blade 102 is aligned with the kneading blade 101, and the kneading blade 101 is shaped like a “<”. The size becomes larger.

  Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 6, a first engagement body 103 a constituting a cover clutch 103 (an example of the clutch of the present invention) is attached to the unit shaft 91 between the pulverization blade 92 and the seal cover 98. ing. For example, a substantially rectangular opening 103aa is formed in the first engagement body 103a made of, for example, zinc die casting, and the first rectangular body 103 in the lower side of the unit shaft 91 is fitted into the opening 103aa so that the first The engaging body 103a is attached to the unit shaft 91 so as not to be relatively rotatable. The first engaging body 103a is fitted from the lower side of the unit shaft 91 prior to the crushing blade 92, and the stopper member 94 prevents the unit shaft 91 from dropping off together with the crushing blade 92. In the present embodiment, the washer 104 is disposed between the first engagement body 103a and the seal cover 98 in consideration of prevention of deterioration of the first engagement body 103a. However, the washer 104 is not necessarily provided. It does not have to be provided.

  A second engagement body 103b constituting the cover clutch 103 is attached to the lower side of the support shaft 100 to which the kneading blade 101 is attached. For example, a substantially rectangular opening 103ba is formed in the second engaging body 103b made of zinc die casting, and the second engaging member is fitted into the opening 103ba by fitting a substantially rectangular portion in plan view on the lower side of the support shaft 100. The united body 103b is attached to the support shaft 100 so as not to be relatively rotatable. In the present embodiment, the washer 105 is arranged on the upper side of the second engagement body 103b in consideration of prevention of deterioration of the second engagement body 103b. However, the washer 105 is not necessarily provided.

  The cover clutch 103 composed of the first engagement body 103a and the second engagement body 103b functions as a clutch that switches whether or not to transmit the rotational power of the blade rotation shaft 82 to the dome-shaped cover 93. In the cover clutch 103, the rotation direction of the blade rotation shaft 82 when the kneading motor 50 rotates the driving shaft 11 (this rotation direction is referred to as “forward rotation”. In this case, the rotational power of the blade rotary shaft 82 is transmitted to the dome-shaped cover 93. Conversely, the rotation direction of the blade rotation shaft 82 when the crushing motor 60 rotates the driving shaft 11 (this rotation direction is referred to as “reverse rotation”. In FIG. 8, clockwise rotation, and FIG. 9 counterclockwise rotation). In this case, the cover clutch 103 does not transmit the rotational power of the blade rotation shaft 82 to the dome-shaped cover 93. Hereinafter, the operation of the cover clutch 103 will be described in more detail.

  When the kneading blade 101 is in the folded position (for example, the state shown in FIGS. 8A and 9A), the engaging portion 103bb of the second engaging body 103b is engaged with the engaging portion 103ab of the first engaging body 103a (this embodiment). The angle is an angle that interferes with the rotation trajectory (there are two in the form but may be one) (see the broken line in FIG. 8A). Therefore, when the blade rotation shaft 82 rotates in the forward direction, the first engagement body 103 a and the second engagement body 103 b are engaged, and the rotational power of the blade rotation shaft 82 is transmitted to the dome-shaped cover 93.

  On the other hand, when the kneading blade 101 is in the open posture (for example, the state shown in FIGS. 8B and 9B), the engaging portion 103bb of the second engaging body 103b is the same as the engaging portion 103ab of the first engaging body 103a. The angle deviates from the rotation trajectory (see the broken line in FIG. 8B). For this reason, even if the blade rotation shaft 82 rotates, the first engagement body 103a and the second engagement body 103b are not engaged. Accordingly, the rotational power of the blade rotation shaft 82 is not transmitted to the dome-shaped cover 93.

  For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the dome-shaped cover 93 is formed with a window 93 d that communicates the space inside the cover and the space outside the cover. The window 93d is arranged at a height equal to or higher than the grinding blade 92. In the present embodiment, a total of four windows 93d are arranged at intervals of 90 °, but other numbers and arrangement intervals can be selected.

  A total of four ribs 93e are formed on the inner surface of the dome-shaped cover 93 so as to correspond to the windows 93d. Each rib 93e extends obliquely in the radial direction from the vicinity of the center of the dome-shaped cover 93 to the outer peripheral annular wall, and the four ribs 93e form a kind of bowl shape. Moreover, each rib 93e is curving so that the side which faces the bread raw material pressed toward it may become convex.

  A detachable guard 106 is attached to the lower surface of the dome-shaped cover 93. The guard 106 covers the lower surface of the dome-shaped cover 93 and prevents the user's finger from approaching the grinding blade 92. The guard 106 is formed of, for example, an engineering plastic having heat resistance, and can be a molded product such as PPS (polyphenylene sulfide). The guard 106 need not be provided, but is preferably provided so that the user can use it with peace of mind.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 6, at the center of the guard 106, there is a ring-shaped hub 106 a through which a stopper member 94 fixed to the unit shaft 91 is passed. Further, a ring-shaped rim 106b is provided at the periphery of the guard 106. The hub 106a and the rim 106b are connected by a plurality of spokes 106c. Between the spokes 106c, there is an opening 106d through which the grain to be crushed by the pulverizing blade 92 is passed. The opening 106d has a size that prevents a finger from passing through.

  When the spoke 106 c of the guard 106 is attached to the dome-shaped cover 93, the spoke 106 c comes into close proximity with the grinding blade 92. The guard 106 is shaped like an outer blade of a rotary electric razor, and the grinding blade 92 is shaped like an inner blade.

  On the periphery of the rim 106b, a total of four columns 106e (not limited to this configuration) are integrally formed at intervals of 90 °. A horizontal groove 106ea having one end dead end is formed on a side surface of the pillar 106e facing the center side of the guard 106. The guard 106 is attached to the dome-shaped cover 106 by engaging the groove 106ea with the projections 93f formed on the outer periphery of the dome-shaped cover 93 (which are also arranged at a total interval of 45 °). . The groove 106ea and the protrusion 93f are provided so as to constitute a bayonet connection.

  As described above, in the automatic bread maker 1 of the present embodiment, since the crushing blade 92 and the kneading blade 101 are incorporated into one unit (blade unit 90), the handling thereof is convenient. The user can easily pull out the blade unit 90 from the blade rotating shaft 82, and can easily clean the blade after the bread making operation. Further, the pulverizing blade 92 provided in the blade unit 90 is detachably attached to the unit shaft 91, and is easily mass-produced and has excellent maintainability such as blade replacement.

  Further, in the automatic bread maker 1 of the present embodiment, since a liquid such as water is put into the bread container 80, the bearing 95 is preferably sealed to prevent the liquid from entering the bearing 95. In this respect, in the automatic bread maker 1, since the bearing 95 is accommodated in the concave accommodating portion 931 provided in the dome-shaped cover 93, the sealing means (the sealing material 97 and the sealing material 97 and the sealing material only on the inner surface side of the dome-shaped cover 93 are provided. If the cover 98) is provided, a structure for sealing the bearing 95 is obtained. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide sealing means above and below the bearing 95, and the seal structure of the bearing 95 can be downsized. For this reason, in the automatic bread maker 1, it is possible to suppress an adverse effect on the shape of the baked bread (for example, the bottom surface of the bread is greatly recessed).

  By the way, in the blade unit 90 of this embodiment, for example, the inside of the dome-shaped cover 93 (between the grinding blade 92 and the cover 93, etc.), the notch 91a of the unit shaft 91, the spokes 106c of the guard 106, etc. In addition, bread ingredients (which contain bread dough) may remain. As a result, after the bread has been baked, these residues may be burned out and become soiled. In the automatic bread maker 1 of this embodiment, the blade unit 90 is washed by pressing the washing key 21 (see FIG. 1) so that the dirt on the blade unit 90 can be easily washed after the bread is manufactured. The cleaning operation is started. Details of this cleaning operation will be described later.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the automatic bread maker of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the control operation in the automatic bread maker 1 is performed by the control device 120. The control device 120 is configured by, for example, a microcomputer including a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and an input / output (I / O) circuit unit. . The control device 120 is preferably disposed at a position that is not easily affected by the heat of the baking chamber 30. Further, the control device 120 is provided with a time measuring function, and temporal control in the bread manufacturing process is possible.

  The control device 120 includes the above-described operation unit 20 (including the cleaning key 21), the temperature sensor 15 that detects the temperature of the baking chamber 30, and the lid open / close detection sensor 17 that detects the open / closed state of the lid 40 (see FIG. 1). The kneading motor drive circuit 121, the grinding motor drive circuit 122, the heater drive circuit 123, the first solenoid drive circuit 124, and the second solenoid drive circuit 125 are electrically connected.

  The lid open / close detection sensor 17 is, for example, a magnetic sensor used in a pair with a magnet, a photosensor such as a photo interrupter (so-called transmission type or reflection type) having a light emitting part and a light receiving part, a metal sensor, and the like. (When the lid 40 is made of metal, the metal sensor can be used to detect opening and closing of the lid), or a mechanical sensor such as a microswitch.

  The kneading motor driving circuit 121 is a circuit for controlling the driving of the kneading motor 50 under a command from the control device 120. The grinding motor drive circuit 122 is a circuit for controlling the driving of the grinding motor 60 under a command from the control device 120. The heater drive circuit 123 is a circuit for controlling the operation of the sheathed heater 31 under a command from the control device 120. The first solenoid drive circuit 124 controls the drive of the automatic charging solenoid 16 that is driven when a part of the bread ingredients is automatically charged in the course of the bread manufacturing process under the command from the control device 120. Circuit. The second solenoid drive circuit 125 is a circuit for controlling the drive of the clutch solenoid 73 (see FIG. 3) that switches the state of the clutch 56 (see FIG. 3) under a command from the control device 120.

  The control device 120 reads a program relating to a bread manufacturing course (breadmaking course) stored in a ROM or the like based on an input signal from the operation unit 20, and a kneading blade by the kneading motor 50 via the kneading motor driving circuit 121. 101, rotation control of the complementary kneading blade 102, control of rotation of the pulverization blade 92 by the pulverization motor 60 via the pulverization motor drive circuit 122, control of heating operation by the sheathed heater 31 via the heater drive circuit 123, The automatic bread maker 1 controls the operation of the movable hook 42c by the automatic closing solenoid 16 via the solenoid driving circuit 124 and the switching control of the clutch 56 by the clutch solenoid 73 via the second solenoid driving circuit 125. Execute bread manufacturing process.

In addition, the automatic bread maker 1 executes a cleaning operation (details will be described later) for cleaning the blade unit 90 in response to an input signal from the cleaning key 21 of the operation unit 20. That is, the control device 120 is an example of a control unit of the present invention.
(Operation of automatic bread machine)
First, the operation in the case of producing bread with the automatic bread maker 1 configured as described above will be described. Here, the operation of the automatic bread maker 1 will be described by taking as an example a case where bread is produced by using the rice grain as a starting material by the automatic bread maker 1.

  When rice grains are used as a starting material, a bread-making course for rice grains is executed. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of a rice grain bread-making course executed by an automatic bread maker. As shown in FIG. 11, in the bread making course for rice grains, the dipping process, the pulverization process, the pause process, the kneading (kneading) process, the fermentation process, and the baking process are sequentially performed in this order. The

  In starting the rice grain breadmaking course, the user attaches the blade unit 90 to the blade rotation shaft 82 by covering the blade rotation shaft 82 of the bread container 80 with the unit shaft 91. Then, the user weighs rice grains, water, and seasonings (eg, salt, sugar, shortening, etc.) by a predetermined amount and puts them into the bread container 80.

  In addition, the user weighs the bread ingredients that are automatically added during the bread manufacturing process and puts them in the container body 42 a of the bread ingredient storage container 42. When the bread material to be stored is stored in the container body 42a, the container lid 42b is supported by the movable hook 42c, and the opening of the container body 42a is closed by the container lid 42b.

  In addition, as a bread raw material accommodated in the bread raw material storage container 42, gluten, dry yeast, etc. are mentioned, for example. Instead of gluten, for example, at least one of flour, thickener (eg, guar gum), and upper fresh powder may be stored in the bread ingredient storage container 42. In addition, for example, only dry yeast may be stored in the bread raw material storage container 42 without using gluten, wheat flour, thickener, super fresh powder or the like. Further, in some cases, seasonings such as salt, sugar, and shortening are stored in the bread ingredient storage container 42 together with, for example, gluten and dry yeast so as to be automatically introduced during the bread manufacturing process. May be. In this case, the bread raw material previously put into the bread container 80 is rice grains and water (in place of mere water, for example, a liquid having a taste component such as soup stock, a liquid containing fruit juice or alcohol, etc.) Become.

  Thereafter, the user puts the bread container 80 into the baking chamber 30 and further attaches the bread ingredient storage container 42 to a predetermined position of the lid 40. Then, the user closes the lid 40, selects the rice grain breadmaking course using the operation unit 20, and presses the start key. Thereby, the control apparatus 120 starts control operation | movement of the bread-making course for rice grains which manufactures bread using a rice grain as a starting material.

  When the rice grain breadmaking course is started, the dipping process is started by a command from the control device 120. In the dipping process, the bread raw material previously put in the bread container 80 is set in a stationary state, and the stationary state is maintained for a predetermined time (30 minutes in the present embodiment). This dipping process is a process aimed at making the rice grains easy to be pulverized to the core in the subsequent pulverization process by adding water to the rice grains.

  The water absorption speed of rice grains varies depending on the temperature of the water. If the water temperature is high, the water absorption speed increases, and if the water temperature is low, the water absorption speed decreases. For this reason, you may make it fluctuate the time of an immersion process with the environmental temperature etc. in which the automatic bread maker 1 is used, for example. Thereby, it becomes possible to suppress the dispersion | variation in the water absorption degree of a rice grain. Further, in order to shorten the immersion time, the sheathed heater 31 may be energized to increase the temperature of the firing chamber 30.

  Further, the grinding blade 92 may be rotated at the initial stage of the dipping process, and further, the grinding blade 92 may be intermittently rotated thereafter. If it does in this way, the surface of a rice grain can be damaged, and the liquid absorption efficiency of a rice grain will be improved.

  When the predetermined time elapses, the dipping process is ended by a command from the control device 120, and a crushing process for crushing the rice grains is started. In this pulverization step, the pulverization blade 92 is rotated at a high speed (for example, 7000 to 8000 rpm) in a mixture containing rice grains and water. In this crushing step, the control device 120 controls the crushing motor 60 to rotate the blade rotation shaft 82 in the reverse direction (clockwise rotation in FIG. 8 and counterclockwise rotation in FIG. 9).

  When rotating the grinding blade 92 using the grinding motor 60, the control device 120 drives the clutch solenoid 73 so that the clutch 56 shuts off the power (the state shown in FIG. 3A). ). This is because, as described above, there is a possibility that the motor is damaged unless it is controlled in this way.

  When the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated in the reverse direction to rotate the grinding blade 92, the dome-shaped cover 93 also starts to rotate following the rotation of the blade rotation shaft 82. The rotation of the cover 93 is immediately blocked (stopped). It is preferable that the pulverizing blade 92 is rotated at a low speed in the initial stage of the pulverization process and then rotated at a high speed.

  The rotation direction of the dome-shaped cover 93 accompanying the rotation of the blade rotation shaft 82 for rotating the grinding blade 92 is the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 9, and the kneading blade 101 has been folded until then (see FIG. 9A). In the case of the posture shown in FIG. 9, the posture is changed to the open posture (the posture shown in FIG. 9B) by the resistance received from the mixture containing rice grains and water.

  When the kneading blade 101 is in the open posture, the engagement portion 103bb of the second engagement body 103b deviates from the rotation track of the engagement portion 103ab of the first engagement body 103a (see the broken line in FIG. 8). For this purpose, the cover clutch 103 disconnects the blade rotation shaft 82 from the dome-shaped cover 93. Further, as shown in FIG. 9B, a part of the kneading blade 101 in the open position (more precisely, the cushioning material 107 provided on the front end side) is formed on the inner wall of the bread container 80 (more specifically, The rotation of the dome-shaped cover 93 is prevented (stopped) in order to come into contact with the bowl-shaped protrusion 80b provided on the inner wall of the bread container 80 in order to improve the grinding efficiency.

  In the crushing process, vibration is generated while the crushing blade 92 is rotating. However, since the cushioning material 107 is in contact with the bread container 80, the collision sound generated by this vibration is reduced. It has become.

  The pulverization of the rice grains in the pulverization step is performed in a state where water is soaked in the rice grains by the previously performed immersion step, and thus the rice grains can be easily pulverized to the core. In the present embodiment, the rotation of the pulverizing blade 92 in the pulverization step is intermittent. This intermittent rotation is performed, for example, in a cycle of rotating for 30 seconds and stopping for 5 minutes, and this cycle is repeated 10 times. In the last cycle, the stop for 5 minutes is not performed. The rotation of the crushing blade 92 may be continuous rotation, but for the purpose of, for example, preventing the temperature of the raw material in the bread container 80 from becoming too high, it is preferable to perform intermittent rotation.

  In the pulverization step, the pulverization of the rice grains is performed in the dome-shaped cover 93 whose rotation is stopped, so that the possibility that the rice grains scatter outside the bread container 80 is low. Further, the rice grains entering the dome-shaped cover 93 from the opening 106d of the guard 106 in the rotation stopped state are sheared between the stationary spoke 106c and the rotating pulverizing blade 92, so that the pulverization can be performed efficiently. Further, the rib 93e provided on the dome-shaped cover 93 suppresses the flow of the mixture containing rice grains and water (flow in the same direction as the rotation of the grinding blade 92), so that the grinding can be performed efficiently.

  The mixture containing the pulverized rice grains and water is guided in the direction of the window 93d by the rib 93e, and is discharged out of the dome-shaped cover 93 from the window 93d. Since the rib 93e is curved so that the side facing the mixture pressing toward it is convex, the mixture hardly stays on the surface of the rib 93e and flows smoothly toward the window 93d. Further, instead of the mixture being discharged from the inside of the dome-shaped cover 93, the mixture existing in the space above the concave portion 81 enters the concave portion 81 and passes through the opening portion 106d of the guard 106 from the concave portion 81. Enter the cover 93. Since the pulverization by the pulverization blade 92 is performed while being circulated as described above, the pulverization can be performed efficiently.

  In the automatic bread maker 1, the crushing process is completed in a predetermined time (in this embodiment, 50 minutes). However, the grain size of the pulverized powder may vary depending on the hardness of the rice grains and the environmental conditions. For this reason, the end of the pulverization process may be determined based on the magnitude of the load of the pulverization motor 60 (for example, it can be determined by the control current of the motor).

  When the pulverization process is completed, a pause process is executed according to a command from the control device 120. This pause process is provided as a cooling period during which the temperature of the contents in the bread container 80 raised by the crushing process is lowered. The reason for lowering the temperature is that the next kneading step is carried out at a temperature at which the yeast is active (for example, around 30 ° C.). In the present embodiment, the pause process is a predetermined time (30 minutes). However, in some cases, the pause process may be performed until the temperature of the bread container 80 reaches a predetermined temperature.

  When the pause process ends, the kneading process is started by a command from the control device 120. At the start of the kneading process, the control device 120 drives the clutch solenoid 73 so that the clutch 56 transmits power (state shown in FIG. 3B). Then, the control device 120 controls the kneading motor 50 to rotate the blade rotating shaft 82 in the forward direction (counterclockwise rotation in FIG. 8 and clockwise rotation in FIG. 9).

  When the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated in the forward direction, the grinding blade 92 is also rotated in the forward direction, and the bread ingredients around the grinding blade 92 flow in the forward direction. Accordingly, when the dome-shaped cover 93 moves in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 9), the kneading blade 101 receives resistance from the non-flowing bread ingredients and is folded from the open position (see FIG. 9B). The angle is changed to (see FIG. 9A). As a result, the engaging portion 103bb of the second engaging body 103b has an angle that interferes with the rotation trajectory (see the broken line in FIG. 8) of the engaging portion 103ab of the first engaging body 103a. Then, the cover clutch 103 connects the blade rotation shaft 82 and the dome-shaped cover 93, and the dome-shaped cover 93 enters a state of being driven in earnest by the blade rotation shaft 82. The dome-shaped cover 93 and the kneading blade 101 in the folded position rotate together with the blade rotation shaft 82 in the forward direction.

  In order to reliably connect the cover clutch 103 described above, it is preferable that the rotation of the blade rotation shaft 82 at the initial stage of the kneading process is intermittent rotation or low speed rotation. Further, as described above, when the kneading blade 101 is in the folded position, the complementary kneading blade 102 is arranged on the extension of the kneading blade 101, so that the kneading blade 101 is enlarged and the bread raw material is pressed strongly. It is. For this reason, the dough can be kneaded firmly.

  The rotation of the kneading blade 101 (this term is used as an expression including the complementary kneading blade 102 in the folded position, the same applies hereinafter) is very slow in the initial stage of the kneading process, and the speed is increased stepwise. Control is performed by the control device 120. In the initial stage of the kneading process in which the kneading blade 101 rotates very slowly, the control device 120 drives the automatic charging solenoid 16 so that the movable hook 42c of the bread ingredient storage container 42 supports the container lid 42b. Let go. Thereby, the opening of the container main body 42a is opened, and for example, bread ingredients such as gluten and dry-ice are automatically charged into the bread container 80.

  As described above, the bread raw material storage container 42 is provided with a coating layer inside the container body 42a and the container lid 42b to improve slipping, and is devised so that there is no uneven portion inside. Yes. Furthermore, the situation where the bread raw material is caught by the packing 42d is also suppressed by the device for arranging the packing 42d. For this reason, the automatic charging is completed with almost no bread ingredients remaining in the bread ingredient storage container 42.

  In this embodiment, the bread ingredients stored in the bread ingredient storage container 42 are charged while the kneading blade 101 is rotating. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the kneading blade 101 stops. You may throw it in However, as in this embodiment, it is preferable to add the bread ingredients while the kneading blade 101 is rotated because the bread ingredients can be uniformly dispersed.

  After the bread ingredients stored in the bread ingredient storage container 42 are put into the bread container 80, the bread ingredients are kneaded into a dough connected to one having a predetermined elasticity by the rotation of the kneading blade 101. Go. When the kneading blade 101 swings the dough and knocks it against the inner wall of the bread container 80, an element of “kneading” is added to the kneading. As the kneading blade 101 rotates, the dome-shaped cover 93 also rotates. When the dome-shaped cover 93 rotates, the rib 93e formed on the dome-shaped cover 93 also rotates, so that the bread material in the dome-shaped cover 93 is quickly discharged from the window 93d and the kneading blade 101 kneads the bread. Assimilate into a lump of material.

  In the kneading process, the guard 106 is also rotated in the forward direction together with the dome-shaped cover 93. The spoke 106c of the guard 106 has a shape in which the center side of the guard 106 precedes and the outer peripheral side of the guard 106 follows when rotating in the forward direction. For this purpose, the guard 106 rotates in the forward direction to push the bread ingredients inside and outside the dome-shaped cover 93 outward with the spokes 106c. Thereby, the ratio of the raw material used as a waste after baking bread can be reduced.

  Further, the pillar 106e of the guard 106 has a side surface 106eb (see FIG. 6) which is the front surface in the rotation direction when the guard 106 rotates in the forward direction, and is inclined upward. Bread ingredients are sprung upward on the front surface of the column 106e. For this reason, the ratio of the raw material which becomes waste after baking bread can be reduced.

  In the automatic bread maker 1, the time of the kneading process is configured to employ a predetermined time (10 minutes in the present embodiment) obtained experimentally as the time for obtaining dough having a desired elasticity. However, if the time of the kneading process is constant, the degree of bread dough may vary depending on the environmental temperature or the like. For this reason, for example, a configuration in which the end point of the kneading process is determined based on the magnitude of the load of the kneading motor 50 (for example, it can be determined by the control current of the motor) may be used.

  In addition, what is necessary is just to put it in the middle of this kneading process, when baking bread containing ingredients (for example, raisins, nuts, cheese, etc.).

  When the kneading process is finished, the fermentation process is started by a command from the control device 120. In this fermentation process, the control device 120 controls the sheathed heater 31 to maintain the temperature of the baking chamber 30 at a temperature at which fermentation proceeds (for example, 38 ° C.). Then, it is left for a predetermined time (in this embodiment, 60 minutes) in an environment in which fermentation proceeds.

  In some cases, during the fermentation process, the kneading blade 101 may be rotated to perform degassing or dough rounding.

  When the fermentation process ends, the firing process is started by a command from the control device 120. The control device 120 controls the sheathed heater 31 to increase the temperature of the baking chamber 30 to a temperature suitable for baking (for example, 125 ° C.). Then, the control device 120 performs control so that the bread is baked in a baking environment for a predetermined time (in this embodiment, 50 minutes). The end of the firing process is notified to the user by, for example, a display on the liquid crystal display panel of the operation unit 20 or a notification sound. When the user detects the completion of bread making, the user opens the lid 40 and takes out the bread container 80 to complete the bread production.

  The bread in the bread container 80 can be taken out, for example, by turning the opening of the bread container 80 obliquely downward. Simultaneously with the removal of the bread, the blade unit 90 attached to the blade rotation shaft 82 is also removed from the bread container 80. At the bottom of the bread, burn marks of the kneading blade 101 of the blade unit 90 and the complementary kneading blade 102 (projecting upward from the recess 81 of the bread container 80) remain. However, since the dome-shaped cover 93 and the guard 106 are accommodated in the recess 81, they are prevented from leaving a large burn mark on the bottom of the bread.

  Next, an operation example of the automatic bread maker 1 when the blade unit 90 is cleaned (when the cleaning key 21 is pressed) will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the automatic bread maker when the washing key provided in the automatic bread maker of this embodiment is pressed.

  The user attaches the blade unit 90 (see FIG. 4) taken out from the bread container 80 together with the bread to the blade rotating shaft 82 before pressing the cleaning key 21 (FIG. 1). Specifically, the user puts the unit shaft 91 (see FIG. 6) on the blade rotation shaft 82. Before and after the operation of attaching the blade unit 90, the user puts water and a detergent (for example, a commercially available dishwashing detergent) into the bread container 80. Although a detergent is not always necessary, it is preferable to add it together with water. Further, the amount of water input may be changed as appropriate. For example, the amount of water may be such that the dome-shaped cover 93 of the blade unit 90 is immersed in water.

  Thereafter, when the user puts the bread container 80 into the baking chamber 30 of the automatic bread maker 1, closes the lid 40 (see FIG. 1), and presses the cleaning key 21, the control device 120 performs a predetermined confirmation as will be described later. After performing the operation, a cleaning operation for cleaning the blade unit 90 is started. Of course, the blade unit 90 may be attached or water or the like may be charged into the bread container 80 while the bread container 80 is in the baking chamber 30.

  When the cleaning key 21 is pressed, the control device 120 confirms whether or not the cleaning operation for cleaning the blade unit 90 may be started (step S1). Specifically, the control device 120 checks whether or not the lid 40 of the automatic bread maker 1 is closed based on information from the lid open / close detection sensor 17. As will be described later, in the cleaning operation, the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated at a high speed. If the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated at a high speed with the lid 40 opened, the user may be exposed to danger. The opening / closing confirmation of the lid 40 is performed with the aim of avoiding such danger.

  If the control device 120 determines that the lid 40 is open (No in step S1), for example, an error is displayed on the display unit (provided in the operation unit 20), and the cleaning operation is not started. The operation related to the cleaning is terminated. When it is determined that the lid 40 is open, a message indicating that the lid 40 is to be closed may be displayed on the display unit.

  The control device 120 also checks whether or not the automatic bread maker 1 is executing a bread making operation for producing bread. This is to avoid a situation where the cleaning operation is started during the bread making operation. When determining that the bread making operation is being performed (No in step S1), the control device 120 displays an error on the display unit, for example, and terminates the operation related to the cleaning without starting the cleaning operation. When it is determined that the lid 40 is closed and the bread making operation is not performed (Yes in step S1), the control device 120 determines that the cleaning operation may be started.

  When the control device 120 determines that the cleaning operation may be started, the control device 120 starts time measurement. And the control apparatus 120 confirms whether the predetermined period passed (step S2). The control device 120 performs this confirmation operation until a predetermined period elapses. That is, in this embodiment, the control device 120 determines that the cleaning operation may be started, and does not immediately start the cleaning operation, but starts the cleaning operation after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed. It is like that. This waiting time is provided for the purpose of immersing dirt (baked bread dough etc.) adhering to the blade unit 90 in a liquid and softening it. When the predetermined period has elapsed, the control device 120 starts the cleaning operation.

  Specifically, the control device 120 rotates the blade rotation shaft 82 at a low speed for a predetermined period (for example, about 5 seconds) (step S3). The rotation of the blade rotation shaft 82 at this time is obtained by driving the crushing motor 60, and is rotated counterclockwise (reverse rotation) when the bread container 80 is viewed from above (see FIG. 9). That is, the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated in the same direction as in the pulverization step. Then, during the period during which the low-speed rotation is performed, the kneading blade 101 of the blade unit 90 is in an open posture and abuts against the inner wall of the bread container 80 as described in the pulverization step. As a result, the rotation of the dome-shaped cover 93 and the kneading blade 101 is stopped.

  The control device 120 drives the clutch solenoid 73 (see FIG. 3) so that the clutch 56 cuts off the power, and then starts the rotation of the blade rotation shaft 82 described above.

  When the predetermined period for performing the low speed rotation elapses, the control device 120 uses the crushing motor 60 to rotate the blade rotation shaft 82 at a high speed for a predetermined period (for example, about 25 seconds) (step S4). The rotation direction of the blade rotation shaft 82 at this time is the same as the previous low-speed rotation, and the rotation speed at this time is, for example, 7000 to 8000 rpm. Since the pulverizing blade 92 is rotated at a high speed as the blade rotation shaft 82 rotates at high speed, a high-speed water flow is generated in the bread container 80, and the dirt attached to the blade unit 90 can be effectively removed.

  In this embodiment, the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated at a low speed, and the rotation of the dome-shaped cover 93 and the kneading blade 101 is reliably stopped, and then the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated at a high speed. For this reason, compared with the case where the blade rotating shaft 82 is suddenly rotated at a high speed, the scattering of the liquid in the bread container 80 can be reduced.

  When a predetermined period for performing the high-speed rotation elapses, the control device 120 stops the rotation of the blade rotation shaft 82 (step S5). Thereafter, the control device 120 checks whether or not the number of times that the series of operations in steps S3 to S5 has been performed has reached a predetermined number (step S6). When the above-described series of operations has reached the predetermined number of times (Yes in step S6), the control device 120 ends the cleaning operation.

  On the other hand, when the above-described series of operations has not reached the predetermined number of times (No in step S6), the control device 120 sets a pause period during which the rotation of the blade rotation shaft 82 is stopped for a predetermined period (for example, 4 minutes). (Step S7). Thereafter, steps S3 to S5 are performed again, and this repetition is terminated when the number of times that the series of operations of steps S3 to S5 has been performed reaches a predetermined number. In this embodiment, since the cleaning operation using the high-speed water flow is repeatedly performed, a pause period is provided during which the dirt attached to the blade unit 90 is softened with liquid during the rotation period in which the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated. Therefore, the cleaning effect is enhanced.

When the cleaning operation is completed, the user takes out the bread container 80 from the baking chamber 30 and removes the blade unit 90 from the bread container 80. By the cleaning operation using the high-speed rotation, for example, dirt attached to the inside of the dome-shaped cover 90 or between the spokes 106c of the guard 106 (see FIG. 6) is washed away cleanly. In other words, the user can easily wash the blade unit 90 by hand (for example, it is only necessary to flow water after the washing by the automatic bread maker 1).
(Other)
The embodiment of the automatic bread maker described above is an example of the present invention, and the configuration of the automatic bread maker to which the present invention is applied is not limited to the embodiment described above.

  For example, in the embodiment described above, a predetermined waiting time is provided before the cleaning operation for cleaning the blade unit 90 is started. However, this waiting time is not essential, and the operation of step S2 in FIG. 12 may be omitted.

  In the embodiment described above, when the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated in the cleaning operation, the blade rotation shaft 82 is rotated at a low speed in the initial stage, and then is rotated at a high speed. However, depending on circumstances, the blade rotation shaft 82 may be configured to rotate suddenly at a high speed. For example, if the blade unit 90 is attached to the bread container 80 so that the kneading blade 101 is in the open posture and abuts against the inner wall of the bread container 80, even if the blade rotation shaft 82 suddenly rotates at high speed, the bread container The situation where the water in 80 scatters can be suppressed.

  In the embodiment described above, the rotation period and the rest period are alternately repeated until the number of times the rotation period is executed reaches a predetermined number in the blade portion cleaning operation. . However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, for example, a configuration in which the rotation period is performed only once may be employed.

  In the embodiment described above, a cleaning command for cleaning the blade unit 90 is input by the cleaning key 21. However, the input of the cleaning command is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment, and of course, other input forms such as an input using a touch panel and an input using a remote controller may be used.

  Moreover, in embodiment shown above, the structure and operation | movement of an automatic bread maker were demonstrated for the case where the grain of rice was used as a starting raw material. However, the present invention is also applicable when grain grains other than rice grains such as wheat, barley, straw, buckwheat, buckwheat, corn, and soybean are used as starting materials.

  Moreover, in the above, the case where the rice grain (cereal grain) was used as a starting raw material was shown, However, the automatic bread maker 1 of this embodiment uses, for example, cereal flour such as wheat flour and rice flour as a starting raw material. It can also be manufactured. When wheat flour or rice flour is used as a starting material, the grinding blade 92 is not necessary. For this reason, in this case, a bread container or a blade part different from those shown above may be used. And even when different blade parts are used in this way, the cleaning operation may be possible. As a configuration of the blade portion in this case, for example, a configuration in which the pulverizing blade 92 of the blade unit 90 of the present embodiment is erased (in this case, the dome-shaped cover 93 may be a simple disk or the like) is used. Also good. As can be seen from the above description, the present invention can also be applied to an automatic bread maker having no crushing blade.

  In the embodiment described above, separate motors are used for the case where the grain is pulverized by the pulverizing blade 92 and the case where the dough is kneaded by the kneading blade 101. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, for example, only one motor may be provided, and the same motor may be used when the grain is crushed by the pulverizing blade 92 and when the bread dough is kneaded by the kneading blade 101. In this case, the above-described cleaning operation is also performed using this one motor.

  The present invention is suitable for an automatic bread maker for home use.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic breadmaker 10 Main body 17 Cover open / close detection sensor (cover open / close detection part)
21 Cleaning key (input section)
30 Baking chamber 40 Lid 80 Bread container 82 Blade rotating shaft 90 Blade unit (blade part)
91 Unit shaft (mounting part)
91c Insertion hole 92 Grinding blade 93 Dome-shaped cover 101 Kneading blade 103 Cover clutch 106 Guard 120 Control device (control unit)

Claims (7)

Bread ingredients are charged and a bread container accommodated in a baking chamber provided in the main body,
A blade portion including a kneading blade used for kneading bread dough in the bread container;
An input unit for inputting a cleaning command for cleaning the blade unit;
A control unit for performing a cleaning operation for cleaning the blade unit based on a cleaning command from the input unit;
Equipped with a,
A rotating shaft is provided at the bottom of the bread container,
The blade portion is detachably attached to the rotating shaft,
The cleaning operation includes an operation of rotating the rotating shaft,
The blade portion further includes a grinding blade used for grinding grain grains in the bread container, and a cover that covers the grinding blade and has the kneading blade on the outer surface,
The cleaning operation includes an operation of rotating the grinding blade together with the rotating shaft while stopping the rotation of the kneading blade and the cover.
Automatic bread machine. The blade portion further includes an attachment portion that is provided with an insertion hole into which the rotation shaft is inserted and is attached to the rotation shaft so as not to rotate, and a clutch that switches a connection state between the rotation shaft and the cover. And
The grinding blade is non-rotatably attached to the attachment portion,
The cover is rotatably attached to the attachment portion,
The kneading blade is rotatably attached to the cover, and can take two postures, a folding posture, which is a posture when kneading bread dough, and an open posture, which is a posture in contact with the inner wall of the bread container. And
When the rotating shaft rotates in one direction, the kneading blade is in the folded posture, the clutch connects the rotating shaft and the cover, and the cover and the kneading blade rotate with the rotating shaft,
When the rotating shaft rotates in the opposite direction to the one direction, the kneading blade turns to the opening posture, the clutch disconnects the connection between the rotating shaft and the cover, and the cover and the kneading blade stop rotating. State
The automatic bread maker according to claim 1, wherein a rotation direction of the rotation shaft when performing the cleaning operation is the reverse direction. The automatic bread maker according to claim 2, wherein the blade portion further includes a guard that covers a lower surface of the cover and prevents a finger from approaching the grinding blade. The automatic bread making according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein when the rotating shaft is rotated in the cleaning operation, the rotating speed of the rotating shaft is set to a low speed at an initial stage and then set to a high speed. vessel. In the above cleaning operation, the the rotation period for rotating shaft by a predetermined period of time rotation, said rotary shaft and a predetermined period rest period to stop are alternately performed, the automatic breadmaking apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . A lid for opening and closing the baking chamber;
A lid opening / closing detection unit for detecting an opening / closing state of the lid unit;
Further comprising
The automatic bread maker according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein when the lid opening / closing detection unit detects that the lid is open, the control unit does not execute the cleaning operation. The automatic bread maker according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the control unit causes the cleaning operation to be executed after a predetermined waiting time has elapsed after receiving a cleaning command from the input unit.

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